Famous Physical Chemists - List of Famous Physical Chemists - page 2
Physical chemists study the physical properties and chemical compositions of substances, and analyze why certain materials react or behave the way they do. Physical chemistry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the physical structure of chemical compounds and they way they react when they come in contact with other compounds, the energy they possess and the bonds that hold their atoms together. It is a macroscopic or supra-molecular science that uses the principles and concepts of physics to understand chemical systems. Physical chemists work at the atomic and molecular level of materials—solid, liquid or gas—to discover and understand their fundamental characteristics. They basically work in laboratories, and work with sophisticated equipment, complex instruments and state-of-the-art computers to analyze various materials and develop theories. The results of such research are used to discover new uses for materials in industry-specific applications. Physical chemists work in government agencies, academics, plastic industry, pharmaceuticals, research institutions, etc. The field of physical chemistry is an interdisciplinary one; nanoscale science, analytical chemistry, and molecular modeling are related areas. Read on to browse through a list of world famous physical chemists and read their biographies and timelines.
The Most Famous Physical Chemists | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Birthday | Nationality | Bio |
| Willard Libby | December 17, 1908 | American | Willard Frank Libby was an American physical chemist who was awarded the ‘Nobel Prize’ in Chemistry in 1960 |
| Richard R. Ernst | August 14, 1933 | Swiss | Richard Robert Ernst is a Swiss chemist, researcher and teacher who won the prestigious Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1991 |
| Svante Arrhenius | February 19, 1859 | Swedish | Svante Arrhenius was a renowned Swedish scientist who is regarded as father of modern day physical chemistry |
| Peter Debye | March 24, 1884 | American | Peter Debye a Nobel Prize winning chemist of Dutch origin who developed the ‘Debye Model’ |
| Arnold Orville Beckman | April 10, 1900 | American | Arnold Orville Beckman was a renowned inventor and chemist who invented the world’s first pH meter and spectrometer |
| Ilya Prigogine | January 25, 1917 | Belgian | Ilya Prigogine was a Russian-born Belgian physical chemist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1977 |
| Max Volmer | May 3, 1885 | German | Max Volmer was a German physical chemist who is known for his important contributions to the field of electrochemistry |
| Wilhelm Ostwald | September 2, 1853 | German | Wilhelm Ostwald was a famous scientist who is credited with discovery of Ostwald Process for manufacture of nitric acid |
| Walther Nernst | June 25, 1864 | German | Walther Hermann Nernst was a German scientist who won the 1920 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contribution to the field of thermochemistry. |
| Paul Walden | July 26, 1863 | German, Latvian | Paul Walden was a Latvian-German chemist who is known for his path-breaking invention known as Walden inversion |
Wilhelm Ostwald
Wilhelm Ostwald was a famous scientist who is credited with discovery of Ostwald Process for manufacture of nitric acid
Peter Debye
Peter Debye a Nobel Prize winning chemist of Dutch origin who developed the ‘Debye Model’
Svante Arrhenius
Svante Arrhenius was a renowned Swedish scientist who is regarded as father of modern day physical chemistry
Arnold Orville Beckman
Arnold Orville Beckman was a renowned inventor and chemist who invented the world’s first pH meter and spectrometer
Paul Walden
Paul Walden was a Latvian-German chemist who is known for his path-breaking invention known as Walden inversion
Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar
Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar was an Indian scientist, famously dubbed as the ‘Father of research laboratories’